Improvement in unloading cars



G, P. MERRILL & P.. BOWLING. Unloading Oars;

No. 202,182. Patented April 9, 187-8.

WITNESSES |NVENT0RS v I George 1 fifernz'll,

a BY THEIR ATTORNEYS Patric/6 jaw 16')? NJPETHS, PHUYOILUHOGRAPMER,WASHINGTON. D C.

UNIT D STA -Es GEORGE P. MERRILL 'ANI) PATRICK BOWLING, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

IIMFIROVEMBENT IN Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.

-UNL OADING CARS.

202,182, dated April 9, 1878; application filed January 22, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE P. MERRILL and PATRICK DOWLING, both ofToledo. in

the county of Lucas-and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Unloading Cars, of which the following is aspecification: 7

Our invention relates to that class of carunloaders in which a plow orscraper is traversed over and upon the car from end'to end and from oneto.an0ther of the cars of atrain by the power of the locomotive.

Our-objects are to place the unloading apparatus under control of theattendant, so that it may readily be caused to properly passfrom one carto another when the cars are on a curve or out of line; to improve theplow or scraper and its attachments; and to adapt the ordinary brakes ofthe cars,-siniply by changing their location, for use in connection withthe unloading apparatus, while admitting of their readjustment to theold positions when the cars are no longer used with the unloading devices. I

Our improvements consist in certain novel combinations and arrangementsand peculiar constructions of parts, which will first be described, andthen specifically designated by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of aportion of a train of cars with our improvements applied; and Fig. 2 isa longitudinal vertical central section of the unloading-plow and itsattachments.

Ordinary flat cars A, of any desired number to make up a train of thelength and capacity wanted, are each provided with a longitudinalcentral rail, B, which may be of wood or metal, and of any desired andsuitable form. We prefer to make these rails of two-by-four woodscantling, with rounded-off or beveled ends, to facilitate theadjustment of a grooved plow or scraper, hereinafter to be described.The rails may be temporarily secured to the cars by screws or spikes, sothat they may be detached without injury to the cars, and leave themready for other uses.

The ordinary brake-controlling rods or handles O and their attachmentsare removed from the platforms or positions in the longi- I tudinalcentral lines of the cars, and secured by brackets "D,projecting'outward from the corners of the cars, as clearly shown by thedrawings. The brake-chains d pass to the brakes beneath the cars bywayof pulleys d. By thus locating the brakes the cars are adapted for usein connection with the unloading-plow without any other alteration ofthe .brake mechanism and controlling devices th an specified.

The plow or scraper E is of a double mold board format its sides, asusual, and is provided with a front hook or clevis, e, for theattachment "of a rope or chain, F, adapted to be connected at itsopposite end to the locomotive or tender, as is customary, to draw theplow along and over the cars.

The plow has a guide-groove, b, in its underside, beneath its front end,'and a short guiding-groove, b, in the under, surface of its rear end.and control the movements of the plow. The rear groove I) is made short,and wide enough (orotherwise suitably shaped) to allow of thelateral-swinging of the front of the plow when lifted toclear the grooveb from the rail, so that the plow may be turned to the right or leftupon its heel, to adjust its front groove to the position of the rail ofthe car next to that upon which the heel may be supported. The carsfrequently stand upon a curve, so that the rails B are not all in line;hence the advantage of employing some device for lifting the front ofthe plow, to admit of its being adjusted to the rail of the car to whichthe plow is passing. A strong lever, G, fulcrumed inside the plow on arod, 9, mounted in the plowsides, is provided with a roller, H, at itslower end, which, by rocking the lever, is caused to bear upon the trackB and elevate the front end of the plow.

To enable an attendant readilyto operate the lifting-lever to raise theheavy plow, we cover over the top of the plow, which is usually aboutfour feet high, and thus provide a plat form, I, for an attendant tostand upon within reach of the lever-operating device, which consists ofa winch or Windlass, J, supported in standards K K on the platform, andprovided with a suitable crank, K. One end of arope, L, is made fast tothe lever, and the other end These grooves fit over the rails B isconnected to and wound upon the windlassdrum, so that the plow may belifted by turning the crank. The lever projects through the platform I,which is slotted at M forthe purpose.

We prefer to construct the plow with a castiron fram e-work, to give itthe desired strength and weight, and to face the mold-board-like sidesand point with boiler-iron, secured in place by rivets, to give a smoothsurface, but do not deem such construction essential to successfulworking. a

In operation, the cars having been loaded with earth, gravel, &c., andthe train moved to the place of deposit, and the brakes put on to stopand hold the train against the great strain exerted in drawing the plowover the cars, the locomotive is uncoupled, and the plow-rope F madefast to it. The engine is then started slowly, and the plow, which waspreviously placed upon the rear of the last car, is drawn first alongthe rearmost car of the train, and then over the rest in succession. Inpassing from one car to another, should they be slightly out of line,the plow may be deflected sidewise by operating the lifting devicebefore the front groove in the plow-bottom passes to the rail of a newcar, and while the rear groove is still running on the rail of the carfrom which the plow is about to pass. While the plow is thus elevated soas to rest upon its heel and the lever-roller, it may be pushed sidewiseat its front by the aid of a crow-bar, if necessary, to bring its frontgroove over the rail of the next car, when it is lowered by relievingthe strain on the lever and brought properly down upon the track. Afterthe train has been unloaded the lever-rope L may be unwound and detachedfrom the windlass, and the outer end of the drag-rope F secured to orpassed around the windlassdrum after detachment from the engine, and awound up out of the way and ready for use again when required.

We generally employ an extra car for the plow, and keep this car upon aswitch or siding while the train is being loaded. When loaded, the trainis moved in position to have the extra car brought up in the rear of thetrain to allow theplow to operate. When unloaded, the train is run outand the last car unloaded run upon the siding, with the plow inbeforeset forth, of the plow, the rocking elevating-lever, and its roller,adapted to pass over and be caused to bear upon the central rails of thecars, to lift the front of the plowin passing from one car to another.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the plowprovided with a platform, the elevating-lever, and the leveroperatingdevices mounted on the plow-platform.

3. The combination of the central rails on the cars, the plow having ashort heel-groove to admit of its being swung sidewise on the rail, anddevices, substantially such as set forth, for elevating'the front end ofthe plow, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we have scribed our names.

GEORGE P. MERRILL. PATRICK BOWLING.

hereunto sub- Witnesses:

GEORGE VE HAR, JOHN MOTTER.

